Wall-mounting Airport Extreme Base Station?

[RedCroissant]

Hello all. I have a 2009 AEBS and I would like to mount it to the wall so that I won't have to bother routing the cables around shelves or bother with drilling holes through my shelves in the first place.

I know that it can be wall mounted, but I don't have the accessories to do so normally.

Would it be feasible to mount it using a 4-5 nails and using the space between the base and the case of the AEBS to support it? I know it might not be recommended, but is the case strong enough to withstand it?

 

[mellofello]

I had mine zip tied to cork board for a few years may not be the most elegant solution but if it isn't highly visible who cares. Cork board also allows for very clean routing of wiring if you take your time.

 

[paulrbeers]

Would it be feasible to mount it using a 4-5 nails and using the space between the base and the case of the AEBS to support it? I know it might not be recommended, but is the case strong enough to withstand it?

Is it the $40 for the part that you don't want to spend to wall mount it? I'm trying to figure out why you want to resort to nails and possibly damaging your router when more elegant and less (possible) damaging options exist.

Further, I'm trying to figure out where you want to put the nails.... Your best bet would be to put it flush against the wall and nail around it so the nail heads hold the "top" (which I believe is the antennae portion). This would probably be the "safest" way to "nail it" to the wall....

 

[RedCroissant]

Is it the $40 for the part that you don't want to spend to wall mount it? I'm trying to figure out why you want to resort to nails and possibly damaging your router when more elegant and less (possible) damaging options exist.

Further, I'm trying to figure out where you want to put the nails.... Your best bet would be to put it flush against the wall and nail around it so the nail heads hold the "top" (which I believe is the antennae portion). This would probably be the "safest" way to "nail it" to the wall....

It's the fact that I have no money, but I do have tools/nails/screws.

And that's what I'm trying to figure out; if I hammer few nails into a wall and then place the router onto the nails(so the nail heads would be between the case and the gray base), would that actually damage the device? Of course I don't want to damage it but I also would like to put it somewhere else.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Sure, it'd work fine. If you don't want to scratch the case, you could space the screws out where they don't touch the AirPort, then use something (twine, Zip ties, whatever) from screw to screw forming a "net" that holds the router in place.

 

[Goodhur]

I just used Grundtal hangers from ikea to mount mine. I made a write up and template at constanttinkering.wordpress.com

 

[Giuly]

Why not get a proper wall-mount?

 

[cderalow]

Why not get a proper wall-mount?

It's the fact that I have no money, but I do have tools/nails/screws.

And that's what I'm trying to figure out; if I hammer few nails into a wall and then place the router onto the nails(so the nail heads would be between the case and the gray base), would that actually damage the device? Of course I don't want to damage it but I also would like to put it somewhere else.

pretty sure he answered that question.

I will however say, the H-Square option is an nice elegant solution to said problem.

 

[Goodhur]

The same principle could be used with a washers, screws, anchors and some type of sleeve (like cut up ball point pen body)
The sleeve would protect the router and hide the threads.

BTW the Ikea Hangers are $8 total if you have local Ikea

 

[RedCroissant]

The same principle could be used with a washers, screws, anchors and some type of sleeve (like cut up ball point pen body)
The sleeve would protect the router and hide the threads.

BTW the Ikea Hangers are $8 total if you have local Ikea

Image

I like this idea a lot! Thanks for commenting on an older thread!

 

[Goodhur]

You are welcome. I have been following this thread since the original post. Thought I'd share once I figured it out.

PVC or Pex couplers/pipe should work as sleeves too. 1/2" or smaller diameter. let you washers be a couple mm larger than the sleeves. You may need to wrap the thread with tape or something to make them snug in the sleeves.

 

[Changen]

The same principle could be used with a washers, screws, anchors and some type of sleeve (like cut up ball point pen body)
The sleeve would protect the router and hide the threads.

BTW the Ikea Hangers are $8 total if you have local Ikea

I Like your setup here my only question is how are you getting power to it and wheres the power brick?

 

[Goodhur]

It is mounted above a coat closet door. There was electricity in the
closet. The light was just a ceramic base with bulb and three prong
outlet. I used a 1 1/2" hole saw pass wire through the drywall, no
fire block is compromised above the door. The cat5e wires are all CMR
rated. The power brick cable is not CM rated, so at your own risk. The
power brick has surge protection from a portable laptop surge
protector. The brick is held by an Ikea cutlery holder.

 

[RedCroissant]

The same principle could be used with a washers, screws, anchors and some type of sleeve (like cut up ball point pen body)
The sleeve would protect the router and hide the threads.

BTW the Ikea Hangers are $8 total if you have local Ikea

I Like your setup here my only question is how are you getting power to it and wheres the power brick?

If you click the link to his blog, you'll see that the center of his house is actually the closet where he is running the cables and wires.

 

[Goodhur]

Right just feeds directly through wall 1.5 inch hole saw. The power cable is the only non wall rated wire. I am going to fit a piece of conduit in the hole later.

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

Cost me less than $10 in parts from Home Depot. But I just retired my third Airport Express so won't be using this any longer.

 

[neili360]

$3 in parts

Similar to Goodhur, which gave me the idea, but basic nylon parts from my neighborhood hardware store at under $3 for four sets. Nylon spacer and washer, plus screws. White tipped screws would have made it but they were about a 1/4" too short. And I added a small washer under the spacer to line up the groove.

 

[sanjooo]

Similar to Goodhur, which gave me the idea, but basic nylon parts from my neighborhood hardware store at under $3 for four sets. Nylon spacer and washer, plus screws. White tipped screws would have made it but they were about a 1/4" too short. And I added a small washer under the spacer to line up the groove.

Great idea Neili360!! Thanks for sharing